Defense Chief of Staff, General Enzo Vecciarelli, accompanied by the commander of the Joint Defense Defense Operations (IOC) Command, Army Corps General Luciano Portolano, went to Bergamo to meet men and women of the Armed Forces and the representatives of the various institutions, which for over 45 days in a synergistic way have been continuously applying the measures to contrast the national health emergency.
"In the days of Easter, which you normally spend with your loved ones in the family, you are here in Bergamo engaged in constant support for local institutions and especially for citizens who have been hit by a serious pandemic for over a month now has taken on an international dimension. In circumstances of particular drama for Bergamo and the Province, you have witnessed many sufferings, culminating also in the loss of human lives, and it is in this moment of heavy effort that I am particularly close to you to extend the gratitude and best wishes of a peaceful Easter by the whole Family of the Armed Forces ". So claimed General Vecciarelli who then concluded: "The term Family is very appropriate at the moment for the Armed Forces, who have not hesitated to intervene immediately and with a sense of responsibility on an important and strongly desired commitment by the Minister of Defense Guerini, where all the men and women of the The Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Carabinieri have been able to team up by showing their own values of those who by choice of life decide to wear the uniform and make themselves available to the community in the full awareness of taking high risks for your health ".
During the visit, General Vecciarelli met the prefect of the city of Bergamo, Dr. Enrico Ricci, and the representatives of the institutions to make a point of situation on the activities carried out and on the planning of what is necessary to resolve together as soon as possible the emergency that sees the Armed Forces take on a central role in many aspects. Such as, in particular, the competition of military doctors and nurses, support to the prefecture with the soldiers of "Safe Roads", logistical support with air and road transport of personnel and medical material also in bio-containment capacity, the preparation of the field hospital in Lombardy in Crema and of various structures dedicated to health surveillance and, finally, the competition of the 7th NBC regiment of the Army together with the soldiers of the Russian Federation, to whom the Chief of Staff of the Defense wanted express their thanks for the support provided in the remediation and sanitation of rest homes and health facilities in the Bergamo area.
Since the beginning of the emergency, the Armed Forces have employed about 29.900 men and women to date, managed and coordinated by the IOC, specifically the Military Health has provided support with 301 specialized soldiers, employing 130 medical officers and 171 non-commissioned nurses, on specific requested and made available to civil health throughout the national territory.
A total of 69 flight missions were carried out dedicated to the transport of medical material and compatriots also in a bio-containment regime, made available accommodation for a total of about 6.000 beds and set up three field hospitals in 72 hours (Piacenza, Crema and Jesi) in addition to the start of works for the construction of the COVID - HOSPITAL hub for central Italy at the Military Hospital of the "Celio" in Rome.
